United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is the main authority of the General Assembly in the sphere of trade and development. Its purpose is promotion of trade and development, particularly in developing countries.

The main goals of UNCTAD are to expand the capabilities of developing countries in the sphere of trade, investment and development, to assist them in overcoming the difficulties arisen as a result of globalization and to integrate on an equal footing into the world economy. UNCTAD achieves these goals by conducting researches and policy analyses, intergovernmental debates, with the help of technical cooperation, cooperation with civil society and business world.

The objectives of UNCTAD in the sphere of competition are analysis and improvement of the international bases of the introduction of competition policy and law, harmonization of competition and trade policy, convergence of the national norms of competition with the Set of multilaterally agreed equitable principles and rules relating to the Control of Restrictive Business Practices adopted by the UN Conference.

Participation of the Republic of Belarus in the work of UNCTAD divisions that deal with the development of competition has great significance as without strengthening the role of competition policy as a means of regulating economic relations not only within the countries but also at the international level is not possible to increase economic efficiency, successful development of international trade and to improve economic welfare of consumers of goods and services.